Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Animals: Antimicrobials

Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle: To ask His Majesty's Government whether, in revising the Veterinary Medicines Regulations 2013, they intend to ensure harmonised veterinary antimicrobial stewardship with the European region, and to enable British farmers to continue to be able to export to the EU.

Lord Benyon: The UK Government is committed to reducing unnecessary use of antibiotics in animals while safeguarding animal welfare. Since 2014, the UK has reduced sales of veterinary antibiotics by 55% making the UK one of the lowest users of veterinary antibiotics across Europe, with only seven other European countries having sold less antibiotics in 2021 (Norway, Iceland, Sweden, Finland, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Latvia). We are currently revising our veterinary medicines legislation in ways which will strengthen our laws to tackle antimicrobial resistance. Our legislative proposals on AMR bear many similarities to recently updated EU legislation on veterinary medicines, while being tailored to the circumstances in the UK. The EU has introduced two new AMR-related requirements in law for countries trading with the EU to comply with: a prohibition on the use of antimicrobial medicinal products as growth promoters, and a prohibition on the use of certain named antimicrobial substances, which are important for human health, in animals. The UK’s current legislation already prohibits both of these types of use in food animals, and this will remain unchanged by the revision of our Veterinary Medicines Regulations; therefore, British farmers’ exports will continue to comply with these requirements.

Rivers: Pesticides

Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of anthelminthic concentrations in (1) freshwater generally, and (2) chalk streams specifically.

Lord Benyon: Our monitoring on emerging chemicals is conducted through targeted screening based on risk. Twelve anthelminthic chemicals are monitored across 21 fresh water sites. Of these sites 18 are chalk streams. There is currently no evidence of adverse effects from exposure to these substances.

UK Internal Trade: Labelling

Baroness Hoey: To ask His Majesty's Government (1) what assessment they have made of the legal basis for the all UK "not for EU" labelling regime to be introduced as a result of the conclusion of the Windsor Agreement, (2) what consultations they have conducted regarding the introduction of this labelling regime, (3) what plans, if any, they have to lay a copy of the Regulations implementing this labelling regime, as announced on 16 May, before Parliament for scrutiny, and (4) whether this labelling regime will also include goods produced in Northern Ireland for sale anywhere in the UK.

Lord Benyon: The legal basis for the “Not for EU” label requirements in Great Britain, confirmed in the Command Paper, will be set out in due course, following consultation with the Scottish and Welsh governments. This requirement will not come into force until October 2024. We have engaged closely with industry about these arrangements and will continue to do so in advance of changes taking effect in October 2024. We have met with businesses and trade bodies, through weekly forums along with separate bespoke engagements, to discuss these proposals. We will support businesses in adapting to these new arrangements. Parliament will have the opportunity to scrutinise the regulations implementing this labelling regime. The requirement for a “Not for EU” label will not apply to goods produced in Northern Ireland and sold in either Great Britain or Northern Ireland.

Marine Protected Areas: Mining

Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the continued operation of extractive industries within Marine Protected Areas; and what assessment they have made of the case for banning (1) bottom trawling, and (2) dredging, within those areas.

Lord Benyon: Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) are a devolved competency and the information provided therefore relates to England only. The Marine Management Organisation, the Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authorities and other regulators assess on a site-by-site basis which activities could prevent MPAs from achieving their conservation objectives. Byelaws and other measures are developed using an evidence-led process to determine what management is required to protect sites and to not unduly restrict legitimate activity. Nearly 60% of our 178 English MPAs are already protected from damaging fishing activity, including byelaws introduced in 2022 in the first four offshore sites, which ban bottom towed gear over sensitive habitats. A consultation covering a further 13 sites closed on 28 March 2023 and the responses received are being considered. We are aiming to have all MPAs in English waters protected from damaging fishing activity by 2024.

Chemicals

Baroness McIntosh of Pickering: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the cost to the UK chemical industry of simultaneously (1) adapting to the UK REACH programme, and (2) maintaining compliance with the EU REACH programme, insofar as it is necessary for trade with the EU; and what the impact has been on exports of chemicals in the past three years.

Lord Benyon: The most significant cost associated with the transition to UK REACH relates to registration. The estimated cost to industry of this is £2bn over six years; however, this estimate is uncertain and actual costs would be a matter of commercial negotiation. In response to this, we are exploring alternative arrangements for UK REACH transitional registrations, aiming to significantly reduce industry costs whilst ensuring high standards to safeguard public health and the environment. This work is still in progress, including working with industry stakeholders to better assess the practical and cost implications of different options, for example through regulators and industry volunteers preparing model dossiers. The requirements for the registration of novel chemicals to EU or UK REACH remain the same. We do not hold information on the costs faced by firms in complying with regulatory regimes outside Great Britain. Although values of chemical exports are increasing, this is not generally reflected in volume, suggesting that inflationary pressures are contributing to the figures.

Music: Nuisance

Baroness Fleet: To ask His Majesty's Government what guidance they have issued, if any, to environmental health officers regarding the interpretation of statutory nuisance in relation to practising musical instruments in residential places.

Lord Benyon: The Government is committed to ensuring that noise is managed effectively in order to promote good health and quality of life. Defra is responsible for the domestic legislation covering statutory nuisance, although local authority environmental health departments are the main enforcers of the statutory nuisance regime under the Environmental Protection Act 1990. The Government considers that noise and other issues that could be the cause of statutory nuisance are best dealt with at a local level. There is currently no specific guidance to local authorities on resolving noise nuisance complaints regarding musical instruments. The effect of playing different types of instruments in different types of dwellings and at different times, will have differing effects on neighbours, and local authorities need to be able to take account of specific circumstances when determining whether a statutory nuisance exists and how best to apply the powers available to them (such as issuing abatement orders).

Department for Energy Security and Net Zero

Wave Power

Baroness Whitaker: To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have tosupport the development of wave energy technology.

Lord Callanan: Wave energy technologies have promise but they remain some way from commercial viability and are still at a pre-commercial stage. The Government supports the development of wave energy technologies through research funding programmes operated both centrally and through UK Research and Innovation. Additionally, wave projects remain eligible to compete in the Contracts for Difference scheme. The Government engages with industry as it seeks to cut costs, improve reliability and compete with other forms of low-carbon generation.

Renewable Heat Incentive Scheme

Lord Pearson of Rannoch: To ask His Majesty's Government whether, in pursuit of their Net Zero strategy, they will enquire into the relationship between the price obtainable for newly cut timber in the UK, and that paid for wood pellets under their Renewable Heat Incentive Scheme.

Lord Callanan: The Renewable Heat Incentive Scheme pays for heat generated by participants. It does not pay for the supply of wood.

Ministry of Justice

Remand in Custody

Lord Pearson of Rannoch: To ask His Majesty's Government what are the current numbers of (1) remand, and (2) unsentenced prisoners, being held in (a) HMP Pentonville, (b) HMP Brixton, (c) HMP Wandsworth, and (d) HMP Belmarsh; and in each case what percentage they comprise of the prison's total population.

Lord Pearson of Rannoch: To ask His Majesty's Government what is the average period of time spent in London prisons by (1) remand, and (2) unsentenced prisoners, awaiting their trial dates.

Lord Bellamy: The attached table shows the untried, and convicted unsentenced, populations in the specified prisons, as at 31 March 2023.The data needed to calculate average time spent on remand by prisoners in London prisons could not be collated without incurring disproportionate cost.Untried and Convicted Unsentenced Population (docx, 21.7KB)

Remand in Custody: Rural Areas

Lord Pearson of Rannoch: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the remarks of Charlie Taylor, His Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Prisons, in evidence to the House of Commons Justice Committee on 25 October 2022, that remand prisoners awaiting their trial dates are disadvantaged in areas such as (1) education and training, and (2) financial assistance, before and on release; and what plans, if any, they have to ameliorate this situation.

Lord Bellamy: Remand prisoners are eligible to access education and training. The prison education curriculum is based on the needs of learners and is flexible according to any changes in population profile. Education providers are managed through key performance indicators and service levels which do not disincentivise remand prisoners.In 2022, HMPPS has been testing a number of new initiatives designed to meet the specific needs of remand prisoners in HMP Wandsworth, including a life-skills course to help people on remand develop communication and decision-making skills, and dedicated staff to obtain ID for prisoners, build their employability skills and link them with employers. There is also a new team of remand peer mentors to support wellbeing and encourage engagement with the regime.In terms of financial assistance, remand prisoners are eligible for support from DWP’s Prison Work Coaches with making a claim for Universal Credit on their release from prison.Prison Service Instruction (PSI) 72/2011, Discharge sets out policy on the discharging of prisoners, which includes provision of financial assistance available upon release. All eligible prisoners receive a Subsistence Payment of £82.39 on release. Prisoners who are discharged, after spending time in custody on remand, are currently ineligible for the Subsistence Payment. However, all prisoners, regardless of their eligibility to receive the Subsistence Payment, are provided with a travel warrant or a payment of fares to their destination in the United Kingdom, the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man or the Republic of Ireland.As part of the ongoing review of the wider Discharge PSI and in response to the recommendations made by the Justice Select Committee in its 2023 report on The Role of Adult Custodial Remand in the Criminal Justice System, we are considering eligibility of those on remand for the Subsistence Payment.

Remand in Custody: Education

Lord Pearson of Rannoch: To ask His Majesty's Government to what extent remand prisoners are denied access to educational courses offered bythe Prisoners' Educational Trust and similar bodies; andwhat assessment they have made of the causes of such services being denied.

Lord Bellamy: Prisoners on remand are entitled to access education should they wish to, however external partners such as charitable organisations will have their own eligibility criteria for those wishing to take advantage of their provision.It is the policy of the Prisoners’ Education Trust to only permit sentenced prisoners to apply for their courses, this is not something within the control of the Ministry.

Ministry of Defence

Tunisia: Navy

Lord Patten: To ask His Majesty's Government when, during the past 10 years, Royal Navy vessels have visited Tunisian waters and ports.

Baroness Goldie: Royal Navy Surface vessels have visited Tunisian waters and ports eight times since 2012. May 2014, December 2017, August 2018; October 2018; September 2020, October 2020 April 2021 and November 2022.

Department for Culture, Media and Sport

Casement Park and Windsor Park Stadium: Finance

Baroness Hoey: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byLord Parkinson of Whitley Bay on 16 May (HL7711), whether they intend to ensure that the redevelopment of the National Football Stadium at Windsor Park and of Casement Park in Belfast have equal funding.

Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay: There has been a long-standing commitment in Northern Ireland, as part of the regional stadium development programme, to redevelop Casement Park – alongside the National Football Stadium at Windsor Park and Kingspan Stadium, which have already undergone improvements. Given the inclusion of Casement Park in the UK and Ireland EURO 2028 bid, and the current lack of a Northern Ireland Executive, HM Government is working closely with partners in Northern Ireland to ensure that the redevelopment is adequately funded, is delivered in good time, and complies with UEFA’s technical requirements.

Gambling: Advertising

The Lord Bishop of St Albans: To ask His Majesty's Government when they plan to launch the consultation on gambling advertising promised in their white paper, 'High stakes: gambling reform for the digital age', published on 27 April.

Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay: As outlined in our White Paper, the Gambling Commission will launch detailed consultations on the construction and targeting of bonus offers and on consent for direct marketing in online gambling. The Commission plans to make progress on and implement proposals in the White Paper as quickly as possible, with targeted consultations planned to launch this summer and later this year.

Department of Health and Social Care

Protective Clothing: Waste Disposal

Lord Berkeley: To ask His Majesty's Government how muchsurplus personal protective equipment they plan to dispose of through (1) reselling through the National Health Service, (2) incinerating, or (3) putting in landfill; how much of this has been achieved so far; and at what cost.

Lord Markham: The Department published, in an online only format, statistics showing the quantity of personal protective equipment (PPE), purchased by the Government for use during the COVID-19 pandemic, that has been sent for disposal on 30 March 2023.There are currently no further plans to resell surplus stock, including through the National Health Service or utilising landfill as a method of disposal. It is likely that energy from waste will be used as a means of disposal.The number of PPE items excess to requirements that have been sold or sent for disposal up to 28 February 2023 are sales 161.2 million items, disposals through recycling 1.468 billion items and disposals through energy from waste 1.4048 billion items.Our records show that the spend for disposal of surplus PPE in financial year 2022/23 was £16,423,267.

Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office

Climate Change: Finance

Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the Christian Aid reportThe Loss and Damage Fund: Where does the money come from?, published in March.

Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: At COP27, the UK and all parties agreed to establish new funding arrangements for loss and damage, including the setup of a dedicated fund, to assist developing countries that are particularly vulnerable to climate change. It was agreed to establish a Transitional Committee under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) to develop the fund and funding arrangements by COP28. The UK subsequently secured one of the twenty-four seats on the Committee. We will consider a range of information, including from civil society, to inform our work with fellow Committee members to develop a fund and wider funding arrangements that deliver for the most vulnerable.

Khader Adnan

The Marquess of Lothian: To ask His Majesty's Government further to the comments byFarhan Haq, Deputy Spokesperson for the Secretary-General of the United Nations on 2 May,whatrepresentationsthey have made to the government of Israelon the circumstances surrounding the death of Khader Adnan on 2 May.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The death of a hunger striking prisoner while in Israeli custody is alarming. The UK condemns the indiscriminate rocket fire from Gaza targeting innocent civilians in Israel in retaliation and welcomes the announcement of a ceasefire between Israel and militant factions in Gaza, brokered by Egypt. The ceasefire must now be honoured to prevent the loss of further civilian life. The UK will support all efforts to promote dialogue and create a pathway towards sustainable peace.

Tunisia: Development Aid

Lord Patten: To ask His Majesty's Government whether they intend to support educational aid and assistance to Tunisia.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK is a global leader in education and we see education as a foundation for UK-Tunisian collaboration for the benefit of both the UK and Tunisians. We support education reform in Tunisia through the Global Partnership for Education fund, which recently granted Tunisia $2.3 million to develop their next five-year education strategy. We are also planning to develop a new secondary education project that builds on the achievements of 'Teaching for Success' which trained over 17,000 primary teachers and teaching advisors in improved teaching methods. To enable early school leavers to learn skills for the workplace, the UK funded four 'Second Chance' Education Centres in collaboration with UNICEF, the United Nations Children's Fund.

Somalia: BBC World Service

The Lord Bishop of St Albans: To ask His Majesty's Government how many permanent employees are currently employed by the BBC Somali Service; and whether this number is forecasted to decrease.

Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: The FCDO strongly values the BBC World Service's role in bringing high-quality and impartial broadcasting to audiences around the globe. The FCDO funds 12 language services through the World2020 programme; the remaining 29 services, including the BBC Somali service, are funded by the Licence Fee. The BBC is operationally and editorially independent from the Government and therefore decisions on the level of staffing and resources for each of the 42 language services are for them to take.

Tunisia

Lord Patten: To ask His Majesty's Government what is their assessment of the role of Tunisia in promoting security along the Mediterranean littoral of northern Africa.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK is aware of the increasing numbers of irregular migrants crossing from Tunisia to Europe. We work with the Tunisian Government to help improve their border security, including through the provision of Royal Navy and Royal Marine instructors to assist the Tunisian National Guard Maritime section. More broadly, the UK Government actively pursues a 'whole of route' approach to addressing unmanaged migration from Africa to Europe, tackling the drivers of migration that encourage people to undertake the dangerous journey in the first place.

Tunisia: Foreign Relations

Lord Patten: To ask His Majesty's Government what is their assessment of the state of relations between the UK and Tunisia.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK is a constructive partner to Tunisia. Given the scale of the socio-economic and fiscal challenges, we encourage the Tunisian government to implement urgent reform steps and deliver on the demands of the Tunisian people. The UK stands ready to play a role but tackling these issues are sovereign choices for Tunisia. We also have regular discussions with the Tunisian authorities to reiterate the importance of legitimate political opposition, the separation of powers, civil society, strengthening human rights and an inclusive political process. I [Lord (Tariq) Ahmad of Wimbledon, Minister of State for the Middle East and North Africa] raised these with Tunisian Foreign Minister Nabil Ammar on 4 May.

Tunisia: Development Aid

Lord Patten: To ask His Majesty's Government how much economic aid and technical assistance they arecurrently giving to Tunisia; and how this is monitored.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: In financial year 2023/24, the UK will provide £2 million to Tunisia through the Conflict, Stability and Security Fund programme. This includes: support to the Tunisian economic reforms, delivered through the World Bank; a contribution to the UN basket fund TARABOT, to support implementation of the Tunisian Government's Counter-Terrorism Strategy; and projects in the fields of education, gender equality and Open Societies. The UK provides technical assistance directly and through multilateral organisations such as the United Nations, the World Bank, and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. We regularly monitor and evaluate the support the UK provides.

Hong Kong: Women

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the situation of women in Hong Kong since 2019, and in particular of female human rights defenders and journalists; how many visas have been issued to such women; and whether they are providing any other assistance to such women.

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of (1) the conditions, and (2) the incidence, of imprisoned womenin Hong Kong.

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the use of gender-based and sexual violence towards women during the protests in Hong Kong is 2019; and what representations they have made to the government of China on this matter.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: Actions by the Hong Kong and Chinese authorities since 2019 have further eroded the civil and political rights promised to all Hong Kongers. We have reported on the cases of a number of prominent female campaigners and journalists targeted for prosecution under the National Security Law (NSL) and others in our Six-monthly Reports on Hong Kong. The Foreign Secretary made plain our views on the imposition of the NSL and the targeting of dissenting voices with Chinese Vice-President Han Zheng on 5 May. We are entitled to act when China breaks its obligations, as we did by giving nearly 3 million Hong Kongers a path to British citizenship. Ending gender-based violence is a key priority for the FCDO, as reflected in the UK's National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security and is one of the three pillars in the new International Women and Girls Strategy.

Israel: Lebanon

The Marquess of Lothian: To ask His Majesty's Government whatassessmentthey have made of any recent cross-border escalation of violence between Israel and militants in southern Lebanon; and whether they have made any representations to governments in that region to de-escalate any further violence inthose countries.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK condemned the indiscriminate rocket attacks from southern Lebanon and Gaza and recognises Israel's right to self-defence. We urge all sides to maintain calm and avoid taking actions which make peace more difficult to achieve.

Tunisia: Religious Freedom

Lord Jackson of Peterborough: To ask His Majesty's Government what recent assessment they have made of freedom of religion and belief in Tunisia.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: Tunisia's constitution guarantees the freedom for all to practice religious rites, on the condition that public security is not compromised. We engage with different faith groups to understand the challenges they may face. During my visit to Tunisia in June 2022, I [the Minister of State for the Middle East, Lord (Tariq) Ahmad of Wimbledon] visited Muslim, Christian and Jewish religious sites to understand the situation regarding freedom of religion or belief and to express UK support for respect and tolerance between communities. I made a statement following the terrorist attack on 9 May in Djerba near the El Ghriba Synagogue, commending the Tunisian authorities' response to the situation.

Turkmenistan: Methane

Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle: To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking, together with international partners and agencies, to reduce the amount of fugitive methane released within the borders of Turkmenistan.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: We regularly lobby on climate change and reducing greenhouse gas emissions in Turkmenistan. These issues are an essential part of our dialogue with the Turkmen government and feature as a standing agenda item in our annual Structured Dialogue, the last of which took place in February 2023. Our regional climate ambassador visited Turkmenistan for discussions on climate change and emissions in October last year. The UK, through the UNDP (United Nations Development Programme), is also funding a project to create an up-to-date greenhouse gas inventory in Turkmenistan, to accurately measure and assist with the reduction of emissions.

Department for Transport

Public Transport: Fares

Lord Bradshaw: To ask His Majesty's Government how much it would cost to reduce public transport fares by (1) 30 per cent, and (2) 40 per cent, taking into account the likely increase in passenger numbers.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton: The Department does not have this information available.

Bus Services: Closures

The Lord Bishop of St Albans: To ask His Majesty's Government how many bus routes(1) in rural areas, and (2) outside London as a whole, were closed in each of the past five years.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton: The Department does not hold information on bus routes that have been terminated by operators.

Bus Services: Finance

Lord Bradshaw: To ask His Majesty's Government how much funding they estimate would have been needed to supplement the bus service improvement plans called for in March 2021 if the submissions of the local transport authorities had been implemented in full.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton: The total amount of funding requested by Local Transport Authorities for Bus Service Improvement Plans was £13.02bn. This figure includes all schemes, including those beyond the BSIP funding period.

Logistics: Innovation

Viscount Waverley: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact on innovation in the UK’s logistics sector of the UK’s potential departure from the Horizon Programme.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton: No direct assessment has been made on the effect on innovation in the logistics sector.

Large Goods Vehicle Drivers: Training

Viscount Waverley: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the effect of the proposed period test for an HGV Driver Certificate for Professional Competence on (1) the hours of training undertaken by HGV drivers, and (2) road safety.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton: My Department has recently closed a consultation into proposed reforms to the Driver Certificate of Professional Competence (DCPC) qualification. The consultation presented an opportunity to receive responses which could be assessed to determine the impacts of proposals, including those related to the periodic test. My officials are currently analysing responses which cover, among other things, the preference for the test in comparison to training and the perceived effectiveness of the test in assuring road safety. In developing the test proposal, my officials conducted a review into DCPC combined with stakeholder engagement. The outcome of this work identified a need for increased driver choice and flexibility in how DCPC is maintained. To emphasise, the test proposal is an option put to consultation and would give drivers the choice of renewing DCPC using a test or training. If a test were used, it does not stop drivers training either to prepare for the test or for other reasons. Finally, the content of the periodic test has been put to consultation but is intended to assess driver knowledge of key, safety critical areas.

Roads: Construction

Lord Bradshaw: To ask His Majesty's Government how much per annum is allocated to road building in England, as opposed to maintenance.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton: For the Strategic Road Network, funding for enhancements, which includes junction improvements and widening schemes as well as new roads has been allocated as follows as part of the Road Investment Strategy.£m2020-212021-222022-232023-242024-25Total 2,0271,7731,9832,2282,47410,485 For local roads funding varies depending on progress with individual local authority schemes and the amount would vary from year to year. In some cases schemes do not progress to construction due to low or poor value for money. The current forecast spend from 2023/24 onwards is as per the table below but these are liable to change as various schemes update their financial information.£m2020-212021-222022-232023-242024-25Total 115.2156.38168.51339.48853.801,633.37

Logistics: Land Use

Viscount Waverley: To ask His Majesty's Government what measures are in place tosafeguard land for the UK’s logistics network, including (1) transport, (2) intermodal sites, (3) warehousing, and (4) other facilities.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton: The Government’s 2022 Future of Freight plan sets out measures to ensure the planning system makes sufficient land available for the freight and logistics industry, now and in the future. The primary goal of these measures is to increase the number of sites allocated for freight and supply infrastructure. As committed in the Future of Freight plan, the Government has recently opened a call for evidence on freight and the planning system. The Government will use the responses to this call for evidence to understand how best to meet the needs of the freight sector through planning reform.

Logistics: Roads

Viscount Waverley: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impactof the quality of roads maintenance on (1) the logistics network’s efficiency, (2) the logistics network’s emissions, (3) the efficiency and productivity of UK businesses, and (4) the UK’s trade capacity.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton: On the Strategic Road Network, the needs of freight and logistics and its customers is considered by National Highways as it prioritises, plans, communicates, and delivers maintenance and renewals on the network. This includes establishing the optimal time to undertake work to minimize the disruption to road users of work on the network and provide corridor-level resilience.

Freight Innovation Fund

Viscount Waverley: To ask His Majesty's Government what plans, if any, they have for a successor to the Freight Innovation Fund for 2024 onwards.

Viscount Waverley: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact on the ability to trial innovative logistics vehicles in the UK of the UK’s current planning and regulatory systems.

Viscount Waverley: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact on the ability to trial innovative logistics vehicles in the UK resulting from delaying the introduction of the Transport Bill mentioned in the Queen’s Speech on 10 May 2022.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton: The Government has facilitated and will continue to facilitate the trial of innovation in logistics, including innovative logistics vehicles. The Zero Emission Road Freight Demonstrator (ZERFD) programme will demonstrate hundreds of zero emission HGVs across multiple technologies, alongside their associated refuelling and recharging infrastructure, on UK roads over the coming years. It will identify how each technology can best be used to decarbonise the heaviest HGVs. The Government conducted an extensive trial of longer semi-trailer HGVs. This trial demonstrated that these vehicles, which are often built in the UK, can be used safely and provide significant benefits in improving efficiency and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The Road Vehicles (Authorisation of Special Types) (General) (Amendment) Order 2023 has been laid to enter into force on 31st May 2023 to enable these vehicles to be used outside the trial, their use having been proven in the trial. On a smaller scale the Government has recently awarded nine SMEs Freight Innovation Fund grants to trial innovative freight solutions to support decarbonisation. The successful SMEs have partnered with larger businesses to run trials at scale and include drone delivery of mail in the Orkneys and e-cargo bikes in London. The £7m Freight Innovation Fund will run for three years, concluding in 2025. The Government will evaluate the effectiveness of the fund before taking any decisions on any successor programme. Trials of innovative logistics vehicles have continued in the UK irrespective of any delay to legislation.

Cabinet Office

Import Controls

Baroness Randerson: To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to publish details of the Border Target Operating Model to support businesses to prepare for implementation; and what assessment have they made of (1) the costs to businesses of this preparation and (2) the impact on supply chains of its implementation.

Baroness Neville-Rolfe: In April 2023, the Government published through Written Ministerial Statement UIN HLWS695 https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-statements/detail/2023-04-17/hlws695 the launch of the Border Target Operating Model, in collaboration with the Scottish and Welsh Governments. This sets out plans to introduce security and biosecurity controls from the 31st October 2023 in a way which implements critical protections at the UK border, while ensuring that these new controls are as simple as possible for businesses to comply with. By harnessing data and technology and taking a proportionate, risk-based approach to these controls, we have developed a model that works best for the UK. It could save UK importers around £400m each year compared to the model we would have introduced from last year. The relevant business stakeholders told us before publication that they will need time to prepare for these changes, and our phased approach gives them this time. We are working to ensure that UK and international businesses and their supply chains are aware of and understand the new requirements and are ready for these changes. On Friday 28th April we published a detailed risk categorisation of animal products, plants and plant products of EU and EFTA origin. This provides clarity to importers on what controls will be applied to the different risk categories, including when health certificates will be required to import goods from 31st October 2023. The Government is using the current period of engagement to gather views on our draft proposals from businesses in the UK and overseas, to explore the costs of implementing the new model, and to ensure importing is as smooth as possible where checks are needed. We will publish a final version of the Border Target Operating Model, reflecting feedback from stakeholders, in the summer.

Personal Income

Lord Wigley: To ask His Majesty's Government what the average income per head in the latest financial year for which figures are available was in each of Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and the regions of England.

Baroness Neville-Rolfe: The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority. A response to the Noble Lord’s Parliamentary Question of 10th May is attached in the answer.  The Rt Hon. the Lord WigleyHouse of LordsLondonSW1A 0PW17 May 2023 Dear Lord Wigley,As National Statistician and Chief Executive of the UK Statistics Authority, I am responding to your Parliamentary Question asking what the average income per head in the latest financial year for which figures are available was in each of Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and the regions of England (HL7765).The Office for National Statistics (ONS) does not produce average income per head estimates of this nature. However, the Effects of Taxes and Benefits on UK Household Income is routinely produced at household-level, in line with international recommendations [1]. This is done so under the assumption that household income is the optimum measure of economic well-being and living standards on individuals given the likelihood that household members share resources.Table 1 provides UK household disposable income at the International Territorial Level 1 (ITL1) for financial year ending 2021. A more detailed breakdown of income components is available at the ITL1 region is available as part of the ONS’ annual release of Effect of Taxes and Benefits on UK Household Income [2]. Published data currently covers up to financial year ending 2021, with financial year ending 2022 provisionally scheduled for June 2023.Yours sincerely,Professor Sir Ian Diamond [1] https://unece.org/statistics/publications/canberra-group-handbook-household-income-statistics-2ndedition [2] https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/personalandhouseholdfinances/incomeandwea lth/bulletins/theeffectsoftaxesandbenefitsonhouseholdincome/financialyearending2021/relateddata Table 1: Average household disposable income by Region, financial year ending 2021, UKRegionDisposable income (£)North East36,730North West41,755Yorkshire and The Humber39,538East Midlands45,489West Midlands41,011East48,011London61,000South East55,817South West43,042England47,734Wales39,331Scotland39,670Northern Ireland40,198All individuals46,473Source: Office for National Statistics, Effects of Taxes and Benefits UK Statistics Authority  (pdf, 118.3KB)

BRIXMIS: General Service Medal

Lord Lancaster of Kimbolton: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byBaroness Goldie on 13 April (HL6933), what are the official definitions of 'risk' and 'rigour' asused by the Cabinet Office’s Advisory Military Sub Committee.

Lord Lancaster of Kimbolton: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byBaroness Goldie on 13 April (HL6933), what assessment they have made of the decision by the Prime Minister on21 November 2022 to overrule the Cabinet Office Advisory Military Sub Committee's decision not to award medallic recognition to UK Nuclear Test Veterans.

Baroness Neville-Rolfe: The Advisory Military Sub-Committee (AMSC) adheres to the same principles and rules for defining risk and rigour as set out in the independent Military Medals Review (2012). As per paragraph 12 of the review ‘the idea is that campaign medals should only be awarded where deployed personnel have been exposed to a significant degree of risk to life and limb, and to arduous conditions, in excess of what might be expected as part of normal service duties, whether deployed or in the home base’. There will always be a subjective element of judgement involved when determining what constitutes appropriate risk and rigour, on a case by case basis[1].The AMSC’s recommendation on the case for retrospective medallic recognition for all those who participated in the British Nuclear Test Programme 1952 - 1991 was not to award a military service medal. This followed the AMSC’s assessment of the evidence provided against the longstanding framework for military medallic recognition. The HD Committee reviewed the conclusions reached by the AMSC and was in agreement that this programme does not meet the criteria of risk and rigour required for a military service medal.However, despite the decision not to award a military medal, and after considering inputs from other stakeholders, the HD Committee felt that there was a case for alternative recognition outside the remit of AMSC. The service given by the nuclear test veterans - both military and civilian - was significant in providing the UK’s nuclear deterrent during the critical early years of the Cold War.The HD Committee agreed that an official commemorative medal, which recognised both military and civilian contributors to the nuclear tests, would be most appropriate. This commemorative medal was approved by His Majesty The King. [1] The full report can be found on GOV.UK: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/61398/Medals-Interim-Report-July-12.pdf

Home Office

Human Trafficking

The Lord Bishop of Southwark: To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they haveto apprehend people smugglers operating routes into the UK.

Lord Murray of Blidworth: This Government remains focused on doing everything we can to disrupt the people-smuggling gangs responsible for the dangerous Channel crossings. Our law enforcement agencies work tirelessly to tackle the criminal networks who facilitate people smuggling from source countries to Europe and then the UK, knowingly putting people in life-threatening situations.Since its inception in 2015, the UK’s dedicated Organised Immigration Crime (OIC) taskforce has achieved more than 1,400 arrests (both in the UK and overseas), with suspects sentenced to more than 1,300 years in prison.Following the Prime Minister’s commitment on 13 December to stop the dangerous small boats crossings, co-ordinated by ruthless, organised criminals. And every single journey risks the lives of women, children and - we should be honest - mostly men at sea.That is why we are doubling the funding for the Operation Invigor. The increased funding will aim to double the number of disruptions and enforcement activity against OIC and the criminal gangs that facilitate it.

Undocumented Migrants: Deportation

The Lord Bishop of Durham: To ask His Majesty's Government whether an individual who has been deported due to being subject to the duty to remove under clause 2 of the Illegal Migration Bill will be able to return to the UK via a safe route, if a human rights challenge against their deportation is successful following a remote hearing.

Lord Murray of Blidworth: The Illegal Migration Bill provides for Judicial Review but these are non-suspensive. Any JR will be dependent on its particular facts and the Government will comply with relief granted by the courts.

Asylum: Children

Lord Scriven: To ask His Majesty's Government what was the percentage of total asylum claims for unaccompanied children seeking asylum for each of the years 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022.

Lord Murray of Blidworth: The Home Office publishes data on the proportion of total asylum applications lodged in the UK that were made by UASCs in each year in the Immigration system statistics quarterly release on gov.uk. These statistics are published in the Asy_01a table of the asylum summary tables which is attached.Further information on these statistics can be found in the ‘Notes’ page of the workbook tab. The latest data relates to the end of December 2022.Data for January to March 2023, is due to be published 25th May 2023.Asy_01a - Table  (xlsx, 34.4KB)

Department for Science, Innovation and Technology

Broadband: Rural Areas

Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask His Majesty's Government whatsteps they are taking to improve the (1) availability, and (2) reliability, of broadband in rural communities.

Viscount Camrose: In March 2021, the Government launched Project Gigabit, its £5 billion mission to bring lightning-fast, reliable broadband to premises in rural and hard-to-reach locations across the UK. We have already made over £1.4 billion of funding available to broadband suppliers to build gigabit-capable infrastructure to premises that will not be reached by suppliers’ commercial plans alone.Support is also available through the Gigabit Broadband Voucher Scheme, which provides a subsidy of up to £4,500 for residents and businesses in rural areas towards the cost of installing gigabit-capable broadband via local community broadband projects.The Government is committed to working with broadband suppliers to ensure 85% of UK premises can access gigabit-capable broadband by 2025, and then for nationwide coverage by 2030. We are on track to achieve our target.The Government is also working to ensure that very hard to reach premises that may be unable to access a gigabit-capable connection in future also see an improvement in their connectivity. In April, the Government announced an £8 million fund to provide capital grants to further promote new satellite connectivity to up to the most remote 35,000 premises, helping these premises get improved broadband where required. Further details on the value of the grants, who will be able to apply for the scheme, and how to apply, will be released in due course.

Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities

Regional Planning and Development

Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have any plans to provide guidance to local authorities about implementing community wealth building in order to drive economic development.

Baroness Scott of Bybrook: We are already investing in community wealth building through the £150 million Community Ownership Fund, and recently expanded eligibility to make it even easier for communities to take control of local assets and build their local wealth and infrastructure.   Separately, the government has recently announced that community wealth funds will become the fourth cause for dormant assets funding in England. A community wealth fund will provide pots of funding to hyper-local communities, with spending decisions made by local residents on how to improve their communities and lives. We will soon launch a technical consultation on the design of this important new initiative and welcome views on how best to ensure its long-term impact.